Problem: A line is parameterized by
\[\begin{pmatrix} x \\ y \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ -2 \end{pmatrix} + t \begin{pmatrix} 3 \\ 4 \end{pmatrix}.\]A second line is parameterized by
\[\begin{pmatrix} x \\ y \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} -8 \\ 12 \end{pmatrix} + u \begin{pmatrix} 1 \\ 3 \end{pmatrix}.\]If $\theta$ is the acute angle formed by the two lines, then find $\cos \theta.$
The direction vectors of the lines are $\begin{pmatrix} 3 \\ 4 \end{pmatrix}$ and $\begin{pmatrix} 1 \\ 3 \end{pmatrix}.$  The cosine of the angle between these direction vectors is
\[\frac{\begin{pmatrix} 3 \\ 4 \end{pmatrix} \cdot \begin{pmatrix} 1 \\ 3 \end{pmatrix}}{\left\| \begin{pmatrix} 3 \\ 4 \end{pmatrix} \right\| \left\| \begin{pmatrix} 1 \\ 3 \end{pmatrix} \right\|} = \frac{15}{\sqrt{25} \sqrt{10}} = \frac{3}{\sqrt{10}}.\]Hence, $\cos \theta = \boxed{\frac{3}{\sqrt{10}}}.$